Just Like That
by The Great Butler
Summary: Anabel hears a certain song on the radio that brings back some memories of the past. AbilityShipping songfic. Winner of 's 2007/2008 Shipping Oscars "Best Other Pokémon Shipping One-Shot" award.


-

"Just Like That"  
Lyrics: 1982, Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus

"Good evening, Kanto! And how are you all on this balmy night in our lovely region? I sure hope you're good, and we're gonna help you feel good by spinning four straight hours of the best of the sixties, seventies and eighties across the airwaves!

Our first record tonight is quite the rarity. It's been in a vault since 1982, but finally, its creators have released it to the world! Here's ABBA with their as-yet-unreleased masterpiece, _Just Like That!_"

_Until that day  
My life had been a river  
Following a safe predestinated course  
Suddenly detouring so unexpectedly  
With uncompromising force  
_

Spotless. Every plate had to be spotless when she had dinner guests.

She'd done this so many times in the past that it became automatic, so Anabel looked up at the window over the sink, allowing the light from the evening's early moon to glisten into her purple hair.

Her shelves were lined with fine china from all around the world, yet, for this appointment, she had brought out her finest, a set she bought from Alamos Town in Sinnoh that was crafted based on designs of the legendary inventor and architecht, Godey.

This was going to be a fateful night for her, indeed.

_My strongholds broke down all too easily  
I remember well how he did embarass me  
I hung on to his every smile  
Marvelled at his style  
_

She hadn't expected to see a letter arrive from him after so long. But it did, and he had, in his own innocently clumsy way, invited himself over to her home for dinner that night, saying he had something important to tell her.

"Psh," Anabel said to herself, "I'm sure he's coming with Dawn and he's going to invite me to their wed..."

She frowned, nearly crying at the mere thought of this. Once, long ago when he had come to her Battle Tower at the Tohjo Falls during his Battle Frontier challenge, she'd fallen head-over-heels in love with him. But just like that, he was gone again, seemingly oblivious to her affections.

_Just Like That!  
He walked into my house as smug as a cat  
He was handsome and smart  
Walked away with my heart  
Just Like That!  
_

The next time she saw him, she was on vacation in Alamos Town and saw him on TV from her room. He seemed like a completely different person, far more confident than he was when she met him, enough to actually be challenging the Champion League Master of Sinnoh, Cynthia. Not only that, he had a young and cute Pokémon Coordinator named Dawn with him... and she could tell they were an item, dashing all her hopes.

_He found a temporary home in my flat  
Telling innocent lies  
Throwing dust in my eyes  
But I led him on  
Knowing that someday soon he'd be gone  
Just Like That!  
As though he'd only stopped a while for a chat  
But my secrets he learned  
Leaving no stone unturned  
_

As she finally finished washing the last of the dishes and began setting them on the already mostly prepared table, she finally took notice of the song on the radio.

"That's just like when he...oh, Ash..." Tears came to Anabel's eyes as the hypnotic melody of the song filled her head with memories of that all-too-brief time she had with him.

_And once again  
The river's flowing slowly  
Following its safe and uneventful course  
Now the tears have dried  
It's become a pleasant break  
I recall without remourse  
_

Anabel's reverie didn't last long, however, as a loud knock at the door-accompanied by a quiet scratching-snapped her back into reality.

The moment of truth had arrived.

_But now and then I wonder where he is  
And I will admit  
He had something that I miss  
I guess he was a rolling stone  
The only one I've known  
_

Quickly bringing out a match to light the pair of tall, slender candles she'd set out on the table, Anabel hurried to the door, taking only a brief moment to review herself in a mirror before facing Ash and his soon-to-be wife.

Once she had made it to the door, however, Anabel froze with her hand on the knob. Was she ready to face the truth that she'd never be with the one who she had admired for so long, that his heart was already taken?

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and slowly pulled the heavy wooden door open.

_Just Like That!  
He walked into my house as smug as a cat  
He was handsome and smart  
Walked away with my heart  
Just Like That!  
_

"Hey, Anabel!"

"Pika, pikachu pika!"

Opening her eyes, Anabel immediately gasped.

There stood Ash and his Pikachu...

and no Dawn.

_He found a temporary home in my flat  
Telling innocent lies  
Throwing dust in my eyes  
But I led him on  
Knowing that someday soon he'd be gone  
_

"A-Ash? Where's..."

"Dawn? Oh, she had to go see a friend who was competing in a Pokémon Contest off in Viridian City. It's just the two of us and Pikachu."

"Oh, I'm sorry.. do come in, please."

_As though he'd only stopped a while for a chat  
But my secrets he learned  
Leaving no stone unturned_

Just Like That!  
He walked into my house as smug as a cat  
He was handsome and smart  
Walked away with my heart  
Just Like That!

Anabel quickly ushered her guest to the table and seated him, then released her Espeon for his Pikachu to go off and play with. Taking her own seat, she barely had a chance to blink before he began speaking.

"Is this that song they've been promoting, _Just Like That_? When I read the words to it, it made me think of you, believe it or not."

_"Did he just say...?_ she thought.

"Anabel? What's wrong?"

"There's something I have to get off my chest, Ash. May I?"

"Sure."

"Ash, ever since that day I first met you, I've kind of...liked you... but I know you came to tell me about you and Dawn, so forget that..."

"Me and Dawn? Anabel, last week Dawn came out of the closet, she's off on a date with her girlfriend Zoey right now! And you know what else, I came here to tell you that I like YOU and I want you to come with me on my trip to the Battle Zone!"

"You like me?" The moment this news hit her, Anabel collapsed out of her chair. She didn't actually faint, she'd melted into another reverie of all her dreams... except this time, they were coming true.

Coming true, as the music said, just like that.

_As though he'd only stopped a while for a chat  
But my secrets he learned  
Leaving no stone unturned  
Just Like That!_


End file.
